69 replies to this topic

[zverofaust]

With the latest dblog we've been shown a lot of information about the way Mechs and Pilots earn upgrades and abilities to customize their loadouts, however so far this has all concerned modifications to base stats and equipment Modules. There's been no talk at all about weapons, if we'll be given the ability to modify weapon loadouts, upgrade weapons and the like.

There has however been mention of Variants in the various infographics shown.

So what does this mean? Will every Mech chassis have an unchangable weapons loadout? Or will the Devs reveal a Module-like "Weapons Board" for each Mech?

Given the available info I'm leaning towards the first possibility -- MWO will take the same approach as MWLL and not have any ability to modify a Mech's weapons loadout. That will only be possible by increasing Mech Efficiencies and unlocking new Variants.

I think I like this approach. It curtails the strong possibility of "MechBay" syndrome causing undue chaos when fielded in a large-scale PVP environment, while still giving us a strong customization ability via Modules.

So, if this is true, kudos to MWO for coming up with a solid, logical solution for such a controversial and potentially harmful problem.

[Mchawkeye]

The Devs have already confirmed the existence of a mechlab...but I am not sure how that will interact with the flow diagram.

Which ever way, I do think customisation will be allowed and I think it will be in the more traditional mech2/3 sense as opposed to the slots of mech4...

[Mason Grimm]

This is something that I have been hunting for as well. While I don't want to see an Warhammer (weapons) in a Marauder (chassis) I also am not particularly a huge fan of some of the Marauder variants. I kinda like to tweak things my own way.

The mechlab could be a place where you go and swap variant packages at a cost.
The mechlab could be a place where you go and insert modules into the circuit board
The mechlab could be a place where you go and install Hula Girls on your dashboard

OR

The mechlab could be a place where you can customize your mech specs (har har) to your idea of awesome (within reason)

As Paul says; "Le Sigh".

Will just have to wait and see what they come up with.

Edited by Mason Grimm, 04 February 2012 - 11:05 AM.

[verybad]

Maybe they'll mention that in "Mech Warfare" month?

[Mchawkeye]

Mason Grimm, on 04 February 2012 - 11:05 AM, said:

This is something that I have been hunting for as well. While I don't want to see an Warhammer (weapons) in a Marauder (chassis) I also am not particularly a huge fan of some of the Marauder variants. I kinda like to tweak things my own way.

The mechlab could be a place where you go and swap variant packages at a cost.
The mechlab could be a place where you go and insert modules into the circuit board
The mechlab could be a place where you go and install Hula Girls on your dashboard

OR

The mechlab could be a place where you can customize your mech specs (har har) to your idea of awesome (within reason)

As Paul says; "Le Sigh".

Will just have to wait and see what they come up with.

True...This is a well trodden path. They have said that the module board is a customisation layer ontop of the standard mechlab....so I'm pretty convinced it's separate/different to simply where you add modules.

Anyway, as far as armament being absent...i figure that might be one of the blog topics after they have run their course with the current set...or something...

[verybad]

Aegis Kleais™, on 04 February 2012 - 11:09 AM, said:

PAUL'S FRENCH!?!?!

...
..
.

I guess as a gesture of kindness, I could make an insignia for his Mech. A solid white flag fluttering in the breeze should be a piece of cake.

You do understand that Piranhha is a Canadian company, and that means that Paul is likely French Canadian.

Vive les Habitants!

[Mchawkeye]

verybad, on 04 February 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

You do understand that Piranhha is a Canadian company, and that means that Paul is likely French Canadian.

Vive les Habitants!

or likely British Canadian!

Edited by Mchawkeye, 04 February 2012 - 11:19 AM.

[verybad]

Not if he's speaking in French...

[Mchawkeye]

Your logic is flawed.

I can speak in French, and I am Scottish. I am not French Scottish.

Which isn't to say he isn't French Canadian.

[verybad]

Quote

You do understand that Piranhha is a Canadian company, and that means that Paul is likely French Canadian.

French Canadiens tend to speak French, and are more common in Canada than people actually from France. While of course anyone can learn French, few people other than French Canadians or French people would, because it's not as widely spoken as say English, or Spanish. French isn't a completely useless language, as you can comfortably talk to people from France and French Canada.

My logic is not a must be, merely a likelihood. Therefore it is not flawed. I win! You Lose! *Dancing Chicken Dance*

[Mchawkeye]

verybad, on 04 February 2012 - 11:54 AM, said:

French Canadiens tend to speak French, and are more common in Canada than people actually from France. While of course anyone can learn French, few people other than French Canadians or French people would, because it's not as widely spoken as say English, or Spanish. French isn't a completely useless language, as you can comfortably talk to people from France and French Canada.

My logic is not a must be, merely a likelihood. Therefore it is not flawed. I win! You Lose! *Dancing Chicken Dance*

Your logic is flawed for two reasons.

One. you made an assumption. Speaking French and being in Canda does not a French Canadian make.

Two "I win, you lose" Really?....I mean, really? How old are you? Honestly?

[zverofaust]

Le sigh, Sometimes I hate the internet.

Can you people take your idiotic retardation elsewhere.

Edited by zverofaust, 04 February 2012 - 12:04 PM.

[verybad]

One: No I said likely. Not definately. All the basis for making a reasonable assumption are there. Obviously I do not KNOW, an assumption based on information available is all that is possible.

Two I'm 41, how about you stop worrying so much about something so incredibly unimportant like this. and try chickendancing. It's Saturday, nobody will stop you.

Or maybe you're too mature.

zverofaust, on 04 February 2012 - 12:03 PM, said:

Le sigh, Sometimes I hate the internet.

Can you people take your idiotic retardation elsewhere.

LMAO. Thanks.

Edited by verybad, 04 February 2012 - 12:09 PM.

[Chuckie]

Mchawkeye, on 04 February 2012 - 11:38 AM, said:

Your logic is flawed.

I can speak in French, and I am Scottish. I am not French Scottish.

Which isn't to say he isn't French Canadian.

Funny thing I have a friend in Toronto born and raised Scottish and yet he speaks Canadian

verybad, on 04 February 2012 - 11:54 AM, said:

French Canadiens tend to speak French, and are more common in Canada than people actually from France. While of course anyone can learn French, few people other than French Canadians or French people would, because it's not as widely spoken as say English, or Spanish. French isn't a completely useless language, as you can comfortably talk to people from France and French Canada.

Countries where French is a national language:

Belgium
Benin
Burkina-Faso
Burundi
Cameroon
Canada
Central African Republic
Chad
Comoros
Democratic Republic of Congo
Djibouti
France
Gabon
Guinea
Haiti
Ivory Coast
Luxembourg
Madagascar
Mali
Monaco
Niger
Republic of Congo
Rwanda
Senegal
Seychelles
Switzerland
Togo
Vanuatu

Edited by Chuckie, 04 February 2012 - 12:24 PM.

[Strum Wealh]

Mchawkeye, on 04 February 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

verybad, on 04 February 2012 - 11:18 AM, said:

You do understand that Piranhha is a Canadian company, and that means that Paul is likely French Canadian.

Vive les Habitants!

or likely British Canadian!

Well, if we're going with assumptions...

A bit of research into his surname, Inouye, reveals that it seems to be a variant of the surname Inoue, a Japanese name that means "on the well" and held by, among others, several individuals that have held positions of (mainly political) leadership and a number of individuals in the performing arts (mainly musicians and singers).

"Some say he's either French Canadian or British Canadian... and that his first word was "trolololo"... all we know is that we call him Paul!"

[verybad]

Yeah, but none of those countries other than France, Switzerland, Belgium, and Canada (where English is the majority language except in some areas) matter economically or politically in the slightest on the global scale.

However, for the sake of allowing this thread to get back to where it should (Talking about Mech Armament) I'm willing to say that my logic was flawed. Furthermore, French speaking people do matter, and I will try not to say hurtful things about them.

Edited by verybad, 04 February 2012 - 12:41 PM.

[zverofaust]

Can a mod please remove all of these garbage posts.

[Brakkyn]

...back on topic.

I think the MWO MechLab may be completely different from past MechLabs. This game is already shaping up to be drastically different from past games. And, personally, I hope it is.

You may as well have generic chassis available in 5 ton increments you can just slap weapons on, rather than a variety of different models per tonnage range. Why pick a Hunchback over an Uziel if not for the weapon loadouts? The way some people would have it, you could just put the Uziel's weapons on a Hunchback because you like the design better.

Rampant customization leads to a greater series of issues that could potentially be very hard to balance.

[Strum Wealh]

zverofaust, on 04 February 2012 - 10:49 AM, said:

With the latest dblog we've been shown a lot of information about the way Mechs and Pilots earn upgrades and abilities to customize their loadouts, however so far this has all concerned modifications to base stats and equipment Modules. There's been no talk at all about weapons, if we'll be given the ability to modify weapon loadouts, upgrade weapons and the like.

There has however been mention of Variants in the various infographics shown.

So what does this mean? Will every Mech chassis have an unchangable weapons loadout? Or will the Devs reveal a Module-like "Weapons Board" for each Mech?

Given the available info I'm leaning towards the first possibility -- MWO will take the same approach as MWLL and not have any ability to modify a Mech's weapons loadout. That will only be possible by increasing Mech Efficiencies and unlocking new Variants.

I think I like this approach. It curtails the strong possibility of "MechBay" syndrome causing undue chaos when fielded in a large-scale PVP environment, while still giving us a strong customization ability via Modules.

So, if this is true, kudos to MWO for coming up with a solid, logical solution for such a controversial and potentially harmful problem.

Well, part of the question becomes "what makes a variant, a variant"?

If I take a "standard" MAD-3R Marauder and replace the PPCs with ER-PPCs (with that being the only change made), is it now a whole new variant or just a "modified MAD-3R"?
If I take the same 'Mech as above and replace the Medium Lasers with Small Pulse Lasers, is it now a whole new variant or still just a "modified MAD-3R"?
If I take the same 'Mech and replace the AC-5 and one ton of standard (HEAP) ammo with an AC-2 and two tons of ammo (one ton of standard (HEAP) and one ton of tracer), is it now a whole new variant or still just a "modified MAD-3R" (even though I've now removed all of the original weapons)?

Now, let's go back to our original, unmodified MAD-3R.
Suppose I change the heat sinks (it starts with 16) from standard ("single") heat sinks to double heat sinks (with that being the only change made). Is it now a whole new variant or just another "modified MAD-3R"?

We could continue this into a Ship of Theseus argument/paradox.

Depending on how "variant" is defined.
I, for one, would define it as being based on the internal structure and the arrangement of mounting points on said internal structure; as such, a MAD-3R and all 'Mechs that use a similar internal structure model with a similar hardpoint layout to it would be the same "variant" regardless of actual weapons load (Large Lasers in place of the PPCs, Gauss Rifle in place of the autocannon, and so on) while something like a MAD-9M and all 'Mechs that use a similar internal structure model with a similar hardpoint layout to it would be the same "variant" regardless of actual weapons load (PPCs in place of the Large Lasers, LRM-10s in place of the SRM-6s, and so on), with the -3R based variants and the -9M based variants being two variants of the Marauder.

This, or something like it, would allow for a limited (read: managable) number of "variants" while still allowing multiple possible loadouts (read: a substantial degree of customization) for each "variant".

Your thoughts?

[Durant Carlyle]

I would say that each different model in the TROs is a variant. That means the Locust has 17 official variants, the Phoenix Hawk has 18, and the Marauder has 19.

Strum, I see yours more as actual physical models in the game, with each model having a different physical appearance. I would hope that MW:O is like that, as it would mean that my eventual -9M Marauder actually looks different from the -5D version I will get as soon as possible, while still having both clearly being Marauders.